


Cowardly Clone

by ArtlessComedic



Category: Eddsworld - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-09
Updated: 2017-09-16
Packaged: 2018-07-14 02:38:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7149335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtlessComedic/pseuds/ArtlessComedic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had been a year and there hadn't been a single mention of Tord in the apartments that Edd and Matt and Tom resided in.<br/>When they find a spare clone of their old friend from years ago, wildly different from the Tord they knew, what can they do?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Tom, I don't like this. Let's go home, okay?" 

Tom scowled, turning away from the large, iron fence and towards the ginger giving him a nervous look. "You made me come out with you to play bodyguard for you all night," he said, pulling the gate open and pointing up at the large house, eerie in the moonlight. "Now we get to do something fun." 

Matt looked pale. "Tom, vampires are a serious concern! I just wanted candy, not to go mucking about in a gross old house! What if it's haunted?" 

Tom clicked on his flashlight. "Don't be a wuss, Matt." 

Matt hesitated, but he gave in with a slight sag to his shoulders. "...Okay." 

The house, probably two or three stories, had been left alone for years to rot in the elements, and while Tom was excited to poke around inside, Matt was terrified at the very idea. How did they know some dangerous criminals weren't hanging around inside? Or, as he'd suggested to Tom, ghosts? What about _ghost criminals?_ As his friend pushed open the door, Matt stayed half a step behind him, trembling slightly as he held onto Tom's hoodie. 

"Matt! Would you just relax?" Tom hissed, pulling away from Matt and moving further into the old house, only for the red head to follow close behind. "This place has been empty for-" 

_creeaak_

Matt clutched Tom's arm tight against his chest, holding onto the vague security the company of his tougher friend granted him. "T-Tom?" 

"Holy..." Was all Tom said, not even appearing to have heard Matt address him. He strained to listen, slowly scanning the room with his torch. He did believe in ghosts, sort of. And demons, certainly. But he'd never expected to find one in such an obvious place as an old abandoned house. It was spooky in a cliche kind of way, but...exciting. 

_creeeaaak_

Tom quickly aimed his light at a door across the room by the staircase, a small door he suspected lead to a broom cupboard. "There!" He whispered, testing the floor lightly before taking a step. He wet his lips, slowly reaching for the doorknob. 

"Tom, don't!" Matt begged, close enough that Tom could feel his breath on his neck. The sensation didn't help him keep his composure, but at least he didn't lose it. He grabbed the knob and flung the door open, raising his light and pointing it into the closet. 

_"Stop!"_

\-------------------- 

"P-please...." a tiny voice came from the figure curled up in the closet. "Don't hurt me." 

Tord. 

Matt was in shock, hands covering his mouth, and took a step back. 

He looked so tiny there, features lit by Tom's dim flashlight. He was dirty, too, and a faint whiff told them he hadn't showered properly in far too long. What wasn't hidden by tattered jeans or a baggy hoodie was obviously malnourished. So low in flesh and high in bones, he could hardly keep the light out of his eyes with his raised hand, and eventually just closed his eyes and looked down, huddling further into the floor. 

Tom was...not quite angry. Well, he was angry- very much so in fact, just not completely. He was also shocked and upset, and he blinked back the tears welling up in his eyes. 

"You!" He cried, breaking the silence that had been smothering them. 

Tord jerked, looking up. "T-Tom?" He turned and got up, leaping from the closet so fast Tom dropped the flashlight. "Tom! I-I'm so happy to see you!" He cried, throwing his arms around Tom and holding him tight against him, nuzzling their cheeks together. "I thought you were that tall guy-!" He added, but didn't elaborate. When he caught sight of Matt behind Tom, he let go and sidestepped around the shocked Briton, going for the ginger next. "And Matt! I'm- _ghkk-!"_

Tord choked as he was jerked backwards by the hood of his pullover, stumbling backwards and ending up back in front of Tom. He looked up at them with so much fear and betrayal that Matt almost felt sick. 

"You're not Tord." Tom said, low and venomous. "I know you're not." 

\-------------------- 

Edd wrinkled his nose in distaste, picking up Matt's DVD from the floor. Matt had asked him to keep an eye on his place while he and Tom went trick or treating, in case any of his portraits were stolen, and wouldn't hear a word against the idea. 

Apparently he'd been busy last night and had neglected to clean up, however, because the DVD Edd scooped from the floor was titled _Matt On Matt Action._ Edd had never watched the video, but he had caught a glimpse of it one day when he let himself into Matt's room without knocking. The idea of getting nasty with a clone of himself gave Edd the creeps. Matt said it was just like masturbating, and therefore okay, but Edd saw it more like doing the do with a twin, which was not a thing he liked to think about. (Upon being asked his views on the subject, Tom left the apartment. Completely understandable.) 

Edd put the DVD on top of Matt's television and sat on the couch, eating sweets. Nobody went trick or treating in apartment buildings except people in apartments, and no one in their building even had kids, so he didn't feel bad about hogging the treats to himself this year. 

The door swung open behind him so violently it knocked down a few photo frames, and Edd got up so fast he fell off the couch with a thump. When he heard Matt’s voice he relaxed, sighing heavily before getting up. “Matt, would you be more careful with- what the _hell?!”_ Edd froze, eyes wide as he watched his friends pull someone terribly familiar into the apartment. “What is _he_ doing here!?” He demanded, suddenly thankful for the couch separating him from the three at the door. 

“I’ll explain in a minute, just help us!” Tom growled, struggling to keep his grip on the skinnier-than-he-should-be Tord clone. For someone who looked like he weighed less than a hundred pounds soaking wet, this Tord was hard to keep a hold of. 

“He’s crying!” Edd said, incredulous that Tom and Matt were still bringing Tord into Matt’s apartment. There were far too many questions racing through his head for him to even think about helping. Why was Tord so skinny, and why was he in tears? Why were Matt and Tom bringing him in? Where had they found him? 

Matt pushed Tord forward towards Tom and slammed the door, locking it behind him. “This isn’t Tord, Edd,” he said, watching Tord wrestle to get away from Tom. At one point he’d almost gotten away, but Tom grabbed him by the hood again. Then Tord hit the floor, simply letting himself slip out of the hoodie, and skittered out of reach. He managed to make it into the bathroom, slamming the door closed just as Matt reached it and locking it tight. “Damn it- Tord!” 

“Leave him, we’re on the fifth floor, he’s not going anywhere.” Tom muttered, holding Tord’s hoodie out at arm length and dropping it. He felt like he needed to bathe just from being so close to the guy. “Take a shower while you’re in there!” He called, frowning towards the bathroom. 

“Don’t use my fancy shampoo!” Matt cried after, knocking on the door. “It’s imported!” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kid's got issues, yo

Edd sat on the couch, arms crossed. “I don’t like this.” He said, breaking the relative silence of the apartment. The only other sound in the room was the shower, muffled as it was. Thankfully Tord-But-Not- _That_ -Tord had decided to listen to Tom and get himself cleaned up. 

“What else could we have done?” Matt asked, rubbing his neck with a frown. “He was all alone in there, for who knows how long. When we found out he wasn’t the actual Tord, he thought we were going to hurt him. He probably still does.” 

“I probably still might.” Tom said, a tight frown drawn across his face. “I didn’t want to bring him back either. He’s pathetic. He must be a leftover clone- one of those screwed up ones that didn’t make the cut.” 

“Like the you that wanted to go to the pet shop and adopt a bunch of kittens instead of going to the arcade?” Edd closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re such an idiot.... You can’t just adopt clones, guys!” 

“Who said we’re adopting him?” Tom huffed. “He’s our age, just like all the other clones were. He’s just...I don’t know, emaciated? That’s the word right?” 

“I think so,” Matt nodded. “Because he’s not the original one, he’s a clone.” 

“No, Matt, it means he hasn’t eaten enough so he’s smaller than he should be.” Edd sighed. “I- I’m sorry, I just don’t think he can stay. He looks just like Tord, why would you want to keep him around?” He looked to Tom. “You just said you didn’t even want to bring him, so why did you?” 

“I also just said that he’s super pathetic.” Tom said. “He obviously can’t survive on his own and...and I didn’t want to leave him for dead. He doesn’t have to stay with you anyway, Edd.” He looked to Matt, but the ginger shook his head. After a frustrated breath and a slow sigh, Tom slumped back in his seat. “I guess he’s going to stay with me.” 

\--------------------

Once they were in Tom’s apartment, and Clone Tord was dressed in something that didn’t reek to high hell (an old hoodie of Tom’s and a pair of sweatpants), it was pretty obvious he was even less like Real Tord than he’d previously thought. 

He wasn’t Tord. He was almost Tord, but he wasn’t manipulative and bloodthirsty, and he certainly wasn’t capable of inventing giant robots or killing anyone. He was this weird, gentler, more cowardly version of Real Tord. As much as Tom hated his face, he knew the person behind it was totally different. 

“Alright, T-uh...alright, dude.” Tom started, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what you think I’m going to do, but I’m not going to do it. Got it? The only reason you’re here is because you can’t seem to take care of yourself.” 

Clone Tord nodded, trembling where he stood. He tried not to look at the picture of the original Tord on the dartboard, several holes in the photo right where his face was. 

“Um, Tom-” Clone Tord shifted slightly. “Are you- um... Sorry, but, is...where’s the original me?” He asked. 

Tom bit his tongue to keep from shouting. After a moment, he shook his head. “Tord is dead.” He said, careful to keep his tone even. “He blew up the house, and almost shot me. So I killed him.” 

Clone Tord tensed, eyes wide. “Sorry I asked.” He offered, as if that would stop him from feeling like he was going to vomit. 

“Me too.” Tom said, and headed to the kitchen. 

“I-I’m not him!” Clone Tord called after him, still frozen on the spot. Tom turned towards him, looking almost confused. 

“...I know you’re not. You’re different.” 

Clone Tord held his breath for a moment, and then let it all out at once. “I wouldn’t do that! I’m not him, so- so you wouldn’t kill me! ...Right?” 

Tom stared at him for a long moment. “Right.” Clone Tord visibly relaxed. “As long as you don’t give me a reason to.” He added, and watched the clone tense up again, looking a bit green. Then turned and walked into the kitchen. The words were...untrue. He wouldn’t kill the clone. Not like they had with the others, and not like he had with the original Tord. But the clone didn’t know that, and Tom had to make sure he wasn’t going to try anything. Just because he was going to keep this scrawny idiot from dying, that didn’t mean he was going to put his friends at risk. 

And...if he were to be honest...it was fun watching Tord looked afraid for once. Real Tord never feared anything, especially not Tom. Not zombies, not mummies, not Hell itself. Clone Tord seemed to be afraid of everything. Fear was a powerful motivator, and Tom was going to use it well. 

“Come eat, if you’re hungry.” He said, opening the fridge and looking through it for a quick snack. He decided on cereal and pulled out the milk, looking up to see Clone Tord in the doorway, looking fidgety. 

“I- I’m not hungry.” He said. “Thank you.” 

“What do you mean, not hungry? I could wrap my whole hand around your upper arm without trying!” Tom set the milk aside and took a step forward, reaching out towards the clone. Clone Tord jerked back so violently he bumped into the doorway, and Tom stopped. After a moment of staring at one another in silence, Tom sighed and let his hand drop. “Whatever. There’s blankets in the closet, set up a bed on the couch. But you have to eat eventually.” He watched the clone nod and hurry out of the kitchen, head down. 

Tom fixed himself a bowl of cereal and took it to his room to eat. 

\-------------------- 

When Tom woke up again, it was just beginning to brighten outside, early blue light streaming in from the window above his bed. He groaned and rolled over, content to go back to sleep and stay in bed until supper, but was jerked back into consciousness when a muffled crash came through his wall. He sighed, pulling himself up out of bed, and picked up a harpoon, slowly creeping out of his room to confront whoever was in his home. 

He followed the sound of tinkling glass to the doorway of the kitchen, blinking when he spotted Clone Tord cleaning a mess of broken glass from the floor. The smell of bacon registered in his head and he shook away the remaining drowsiness to focus more on the scene in front of him. 

“Ugh, it’s just you.” He sighed, lowering the harpoon as Clone Tord looked up with a gasp. He’d nearly forgotten about his guest... “What are you doing?” 

“I- sorry, I was just-” the clone frantically finished cleaning up the glass from the floor and threw it away, fumbling to put away the broom. “I made breakfast- that’s all. I- I wanted to thank you for- for not killing me.” He swallowed, moving a plate of bacon to the table. “I, er...that’s all I really know how to make. So.” 

Tom yawned, setting his harpoon aside so it was propped up against the wall. “Thanks, I guess. You’re going to sit and eat, right?” He asked, opening the fridge to pour himself a glass of milk. He couldn’t eat bacon alone, his throat would get scratchy. 

“Oh, uh, no, I was just-” 

“Just going to sit and eat.” Tom finished for him, giving the clone a look from the corner of his eye. “Right?” 

“Uh, right.” Clone Tord sat down at the table, flinching slightly when Tom set a glass of milk down in front of him. 

“So what broke?” He asked. Clone Tord looked up at him in confusion for a moment. “You were cleaning something up. What was it?” 

“Oh! Er, sorry about that, i-it was a cup. My hands were wet and it slipped, I-I didn’t mean to.” The clone bit his lip and looked down, shoulders tense and raised as if he could hide in them despite them being so skinny. 

Tom nodded, sitting down across from the clone and taking a piece of bacon from the plate in the middle of the table. “Whatever. As long as you cleaned up after yourself, I guess. Thanks for the bacon.” He gestured towards him with his own glass. “Now eat.” 

This time, Clone Tord didn’t argue, he just picked up a piece and put it all in his mouth at once. Tom arched an eyebrow in question, but quickly realized that the other couldn’t reply with his mouth full. He wasn’t the real Tord, but he was clever like he was. 

The rest of the meal was eaten in silence, Tom purposely leaving more bacon for Clone Tord to eat. He really was much too skinny. When it was gone, Clone Tord picked up the dishes and took them to the sink. 

“Why did you stay?” Tom asked, folding his arms behind his head as he watched the clone do the washing up. Tord had always been the one to do the dishes back at the house, so it sort of made sense that his clone would act like him. “You could have left in the night, but instead you’re up making breakfast at-” he looked at the oven clock “-six in the morning. Why did you stay?” 

Clone Tord hesitated, rinsing the soap from the dishes in silence, before responding slowly, “I...figured you were right.” He turned towards Tom, drying his hands on a cloth. “I can’t take care of myself. I- I can’t really talk to anyone but you guys, a-and that makes it hard to get a job. The others were with me at first, in that old house. Torm had a job, a-and Not-Funny Tom had one too. I think the tall guy did too, but I don’t know for sure. I didn’t really talk to him. They were the providers for the six of us. 

“One day the director- the evil director- came looking for us. We mostly hid, e-except for the tall guy. The Tomato guy left with Scribble so-” 

“Hold up, pause.” Tom interrupted. “Who are these people? Torm? Scribble?” 

“Oh,” Clone Tord bit his lip. He sat back down across from Tom, fiddling with his hands. “Um. They’re other rejects- I guess Torm is like one of those MnM’s that’s a mix of two colors? Torm is- uh- Tom and Tord. Together. As one person.” He watched Tom’s expression carefully, but he didn’t give anything away, so he continued. 

“Scribble is- he’s another Tom. He’s...well I guess he’s a little...different? I- I don’t want to say handicapped. He’s like a kid. He’s uneven all around, like, like a kid drew him. I don’t know how to explain it. Not-Funny Tom is just....not funny. He’s really serious and kind of mean sometimes. Very strict. 

“The Tomato guy is...he’s like everyone. Er, well, he’s a mix of everyone. I think ‘Tomato’ came from a mix like ‘Tom-Matt-Tor-Edd’. Scribble called him Tomato, and it just stuck. He’s got like...one eye. Tord’s eye. A-and the other one is like yours. He’s Tom and Tord and Matt _and_ Edd, all together. He talks out loud to himself, and you can hear the difference between who’s talking. I didn’t talk to him too much either. The Edd part was nice, but I could tell the Tord part didn’t like me at all.” Clone Tord took a shaky breath and sat back, ruffling his own hair. “What else, what else... Oh! The tall guy! I...I don’t know who he was either. He was another mix. Tord was there, I recognized him, but...I don’t know who the other two were. He must have been a big mistake, because he was really, really mean. At least to me. He was nice to Scribble, and decent with the Tomato guy, but I feel like anyone with a part of Tord didn’t like me. Which makes sense, I guess? Tord wouldn’t have liked me either. 

“Anyway, so the evil director showed up, and-” 

“Stop.” Tom said, holding up a hand. “Just...stop. That’s enough. I don’t need to know about your weird little family-” 

“They weren’t my family.” Clone Tord said, frowning. Tom raised his eyebrows again and the clone tapped the table. The unspoken question, _Then who is your family?_ hung in the air like a bad smell. “Well...you guys are.” 

Tom sighed and got up. “That’s enough. I get it, they sucked and you need to depend on someone. Whatever. You look worn out and I want to go back to bed. Don’t make any messes if you don’t clean them up yourself.” Then he left the room. 

Tord couldn’t tell whether he was hurt or relieved that Tom didn’t want to hear the story. 

From his bedroom, Tom texted Edd. 

_Edd this guy is weird. Like more weird than I thought hed be._

_Hes so...idk, just. Weird. Hes weird. Im not saying Im gonna kick him out but_

_Idk._

Tom set his phone aside, remembering that Edd was probably asleep at this hour, and got back into bed. He didn’t feel bad. He _didn’t_ feel bad. Not for Fake Tord. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yall can thank nzprincesskenny for ressurecting this

When Tom woke up again, it was nearly three in the afternoon. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, sighing softly when his phone buzzed nearby. He reached out and picked it up, just in time to catch Edd's latest message. 

_What do u think?_

He blinked, clicking into his texts and scrolling up so he could start from where he'd texted Edd last night. Er....earlier today? Whatever, time wasn't real. 

_I believe u. Maybe u both just needs to adjust??_

_Matt wants to go get lunch today, we should all go together_

_What do u think?_

Tom frowned. He wasn't really feeling up to going anywhere. Certainly not with Fake Tord. Oh, he should probably check on him.

_Hang on, let me ask him._ He typed, and hit send as he got out of bed. He stretched for a moment, sighing in satisfaction when his back popped, and headed out to the living room. 

“Hey, are you-” Tom stopped, blinking when he saw Clone Tord on the floor in front of the couch. He was all tangled in his blanket, like he'd rolled off the couch and just stayed there. Tom sighed and walked over, just watching for a long moment. 

He was so...small. Tom would have to invest in heavier foods, like potatoes. He also looked a lot more innocent. The real Tord always looked like he was plotting something, even when he was asleep. In consciousness, he had this air about him like a guilty kid; he knew he was doing something wrong, but he kept doing it anyway because he thought he was invincible. Or maybe he just didn't care. 

But every move this kid made just _reeked_ of insecurity and fear. Like one wrong move would result in pain. He didn't want to be a burden, he didn't want to upset anyone, he didn't want anything. Except to be with his friends. 

Were they friends, though? 

Tom nudged him with his foot. “Hey. You. Wake up, Edd and Matt invited us to a late lunch.” 

The clone jolted a little, eyes flying open as he jerked himself back away from Tom’s foot. “Huh?” He rubbed his eyes and looked up, eyes wide. “O-oh- Tom! Good morning.” He pushed himself up, stretching his back and sighing when he managed to get it to pop in a few places. 

“It’s afternoon.” Tom said, since any other words seemed slow to come to him. His phone vibrated in his hand and he lifted it, scanning the text notification. “Edd wants us to go to lunch with him and Matt- Matt wants Chinese. What do you think?” 

Clone Tord lit up so suddenly, Tom had to blink a few times to be sure he hadn’t imagined the quick switch. “That sounds great!” He held onto the coffee table to help get himself to his feet, and then picked up the blanket from the floor. “Do you drive? I can drive, I think. Are we meeting them there, or- or are we going to carpool?” 

“We’ll walk,” Tom answered, lowering his phone again. “I think Matt has the smallest waist out of all of us, so you go on over and borrow a pair. I’m going to get dressed, then I’ll come over and we can leave together. Do _not_ do anything to upset Matt. He’s already shaken up enough just from finding you.” 

The clone wilted a little, rolling up the blanket in his arms and setting it on the end of the couch. “Oh, yeah, okay. I understand.” 

Tom gestured to the door. “Go on, it’s one door to the left.” 

“Uh, first- can I...have my hoodie back? Please?” He asked. 

Tom wrinkled his nose. He’d washed the ratty thing, but one of the sleeves unraveled and came off in the dryer. Even if it had survived the cycle, it probably would have taken a few more washes to get rid of the stink. “It fell apart in the dryer.” He said slowly, carefully watching the other’s face as he looked down, obviously crushed by the news. “I uh...I’m sorry. You can keep wearing mine if you want, I have more than one.” 

The clone nodded, flashing Tom a crooked smile. “Yeah...I’d like that.” He said. “Thanks.” 

\--------------------- 

“Hello, Todd!” Matt said brightly, stepping aside to let his friend into the room. “Come on in! Where’s Tim?” 

“Uh, it’s Tord. And he- Tom- he’s getting ready. Said he’ll be here soon.” He offered Matt a thumbs-up as he walked in. “Do you by any chance have some pants that will fit me? Mine are all messed up.” 

Matt grinned, clasping his hands together excitedly. “Edd!” He called. “Go get my nail polish!” 

He pulled Tord with him into his room, where he pushed him onto the bed before turning to dig through his dresser. “You’re real pale, I guess there’s not a lot of sun in that old house, so I think light blue pants would be great on you. You wanna keep the hoodie on? I have a shirt that would be very cute on you!” 

Tord coughed, unsure how to politely decline all of this. It was very nice and all, just...a bit much. “Um, no, I’m okay with the hoodie. Thanks.” 

Matt pulled out a pair of jeans and tossed them at Tord, only to hit Edd with them as he entered the room. 

“Hey!” He huffed, grabbing the jeans and passing them to Tord. “I brought your nail stuff, Matt. I couldn’t find it all, it’s all scattered around the bathroom.” 

“And the bedroom, and the kitchen, and the closet.” Matt rolled his eyes and took the jars from Edd’s arms,unceremoniously dumping them on his bed beside Tord. “Pick a color, Tad!” He chirped. 

“It’s Tord.” He said patiently, looking over the array of colors. “Wow, you sure have a lot...uh...how about...just black?” 

Edd laughed, albeit a bit...awkwardly. “Yeah? Funny you should say that. Tord liked to paint his nails black too.” 

“I’m not Tord!” Tord insisted. “I don’t know how I can prove it to you guys!” 

“Hey, relax.” Matt pushed the nail polish out of the way and sat down beside the brunet. “We get it, you’re someone different. It’s okay to not be him, he wasn’t that great.” 

Tord frowned, and Edd quickly stepped in. “Let’s get your nails done so we can go, huh? Matt wants Chinese food, are you cool with that?” He offered a smile as Tord nodded, and silently congratulated himself on diffusing the situation. The old Tord was so easy to rile up, whether on purpose or on accident, so it was nice to hang with this new Tord, who was much more relaxed. 

Matt took Tord’s hand, making him jump slightly, and held his index finger in place so he could start painting. “We’ll do black, and put a glittery coat over!” He said, already spreading the black over Tord’s nail. “You can still be all edgy, but also glamorous!” 

The ginger was finishing the black base coat of Tord’s other hand by the time Tom came in, having let himself into the apartment, and Tord looked up at him with a sideways smile. “I’m getting my nails done.” He said quietly. 

“Okay.” Tom arched an eyebrow. “Whatever floats your boat, I guess. Where’d Edd go?” 

“He’s in the bathroom, go tell him to hurry up.” Matt said, blowing on Tord’s nails. “I’m _starving!”_

“We didn’t have to paint my nails.” Tord pointed out, taking the hint and blowing on the nails of his free hand. 

“But Tem still only just got here.” Matt reminded. “So it’s his fault.” 

“Rude.” Tom huffed, giving up on correcting Matt. He sat at the desk by the window, looking out with a frown. “So...you.” He waved a hand behind him. “What do you want us to call you?” 

“Will you call me my name?” 

“No.” 

“Then...I guess just ‘pal’. Or friend!” 

“I’m not your friend.” Tom turned around. “I’m like an underpaid nanny. I’m a dog and you’re a flea I can’t get rid of. I’m shoes, you’re stink. The only reason I’m trying to be civil is because I pity you.” 

“Oh...well...I guess you can pick something, then.” Tord shrugged. 

“Can we call you Tori?” Edd grinned, and everyone in the room looked up. 

“Oh, that’s cute! Tori! What do you think?” Matt asked. 

“Uh, I dunno...isn’t that a little...girly?” Tord asked. 

“Don’t be stupid, it’s just a name. Names aren’t boys or girls or anything else. It’s just a word.” Tom said. 

Tord hummed, looking down in thought. “I guess you’re right...what about Tad? That was okay. I’m not Tord, so...it makes sense to call me something else, right?” 

“Tad it is!” Edd clapped him on the back. “Welcome to the family! Now let’s go eat! I’m sure Matt is sick of waiting.” He laughed.

And as they left the apartment, the clone felt a strange warmth in his chest, and smiled. Yeah...family. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> im not dead, i just take a while to write, and ive been working on another fic at the same time as this one hhhhajshdjajs

“So, what should we do after this?” Edd asked, through a mouthful of pork and vegetable stir fry. 

“We should go to the mall! We can all go shopping together!” Matt said, grabbing Tad’s arm by his pushed-up sleeve and shaking him a little. “You can get a new hoodie!” 

Tad looked much more interested suddenly, and set his fork down. Not that he was really using it anyway, since the smell alone of the hot food before him was making him hungry and nauseous at the same time. “Really?” He asked, at the same time Tom asked, “With what money?” 

“Yes, really.” Matt nodded happily, before sticking his tongue out at Tom. “I’ll buy it for him! It’s just one hoodie, I don’t mind.” He turned his attention back to Tad and smiled. “Of course, if you see anything else you can’t live without, just let me know!” 

Tad nodded to be polite, but he had exactly Zero intentions to ask Matt for anything. The only reason he was saying yes to the hoodie was because he desperately missed his old one. Ratty and smelly and falling apart as it had been (before it had _actually_ fallen apart), he loved it. It gave him a sense of normalcy. 

“Then it’s settled!” Edd said, drumming his fingers on the table. “Shopping it is! And then we can hit the arcade!” 

“Now _that’s_ a good idea.” Tom said approvingly. He appreciated that Edd knew how to hold his interest. 

When they’d finished and paid, save for Tad, who boxed up his leftovers for home, the four headed out to the mall. It was quite a walk, but Tad was kind of enjoying the fresh air for once. He was surrounded by people he loved and trusted, and who in turn wanted to be around him. He looped his arm with Matt’s at one point, and though the ginger looked startled for a moment, he presented Tad with a bright smile. When they entered the mall, congregated before the great directory, none of them could seem to agree on where to go. 

“Let’s go to Icing!” Matt said. “They have lots of shiny jewelry, and plenty of big mirrors!” 

“No way, GameStop or go to hell.” Tom shook his head. “Overpriced as it is, it’s more interesting than watching Matt make goo-goo eyes at himself.” His tone was flat, but somehow his friends knew he was only teasing. “I’ve got my phone on me, text when you’re ready to go.” And then he turned and headed down one of the halls. 

“Well _I’m_ going to find something nice and silver.” Matt pouted at Tom’s back before heading off for the escalator. “Seeya!” He called, grinning at Tad and Edd. 

“Come on, we can find you a hoodie and a cell phone.” Edd said cheerfully, tugging Tad toward a generic clothing store. “Matt tends to get distracted, and doesn’t always answer his phone, so we end up here for hours. We’ll activate your phone and you can look around for anything that calls out to you.” 

“You’re so...sensible.” Tad said slowly, following along beside Edd into the shop. “You’ve really changed a lot. I couldn’t have imagined you so mature.” 

“Uh, thanks, I think?” Edd laughed. “I guess we all have to grow up eventually, so when we lost the house, it just...felt like the right time.” He shrugged, picking up a deep red hoodie with a black trim from a rack and holding it up to Tad in comparison. “I wish Tord could still be with us. Despite everything, we were incredibly close.” 

Tad shifted a little from one foot to the other. “Hey Edd, uh...did...did Tom really kill him?” He asked softly, wincing as he watched Edd’s smile falter. 

Edd withdrew the hoodie, draping it over his arm with a thoughtful sigh. “I...I’d like to believe he’s still alive. That he managed to survive the explosion, and the fall, and that he’s off pursuing what makes him happy, even if that means weird anime porn and blowing stuff up. But...I think about what he said. And what Tom did- what we all did- to him...and I wonder if it’d be better for him if he were dead.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“It was more than a year ago, don’t worry.” Edd shook his head. “Things are better for us now. Tom doesn’t stay up until four in the morning partying anymore, and Matt is focusing more on developing his love for art.” 

“What about you?” Tad asked. 

“...Yeah. What about me.” Edd paused, shrugged again, and turned and headed up to the counter to pay. 

Before Tad could take so much as a step, a cold grip closed around his wrist, dragging him out of the store. A glimpse of blue shot fear and anxiety into his stomach as he remembered what Tom had said about not upsetting Matt. Of course that would apply to Edd too, what had he been thinking, asking about original Tord? When he looked up though, he blinked. “Torm!” He stopped walking, tripping over himself when Torm didn’t stop. “I-I thought you were dead!” 

“If only, right?” Torm muttered, pulling Tad along with him down the hall before ducking into a room like a supply closet, with one light above them turned on by a quick tug on the chain. He let go of Tad, closing the door behind him. “I’m only going to ask this once, you little leech. What the _fuck_ were you doing?” 

“U-um...shopping...” he said slowly. He had to be careful when talking to Torm. If he pissed off Tord, Tom was unlikely to help him, and if he pissed off Tom, he was fucked. “With Edd.” The moment he said the name, Torm’s fist came crashing into his gut, making his stomach churn as he crumpled to the floor in a heap. 

“You know you aren’t allowed near them! None of us are!” Torm hissed, beginning to pace back and forth. Tad just focused on keeping his food down. “Especially you, after that fucking stunt Tord pulled- you little bastard! You should have known they’d never want to see your face again!” 

“Th-they seem to like having me around.” Tad wheezed. 

Torm turned and swung his foot into Tad’s side. “You piece of shit! You fucking worthless little- don’t you think- I can’t believe- for shit- god- _stop talking while I’m talking!”_ Torm raised his voice, pulling at his hair. He was silent for a moment, breathing harshly, before rounding on Tad again. He crouched down, his voice an angry hiss as Tord took control. “Listen to me. None of them want you around. They just want a Tord to replace the one they lost. There is no replacement for him, he’s dead and gone; and you have to go too. Even if there were some way to make it work, out of all of us, you deserve it the least.” 

Tad bit his lip, eyes squeezes shut tight. “I’m not Tord. I-I’m not like him.” 

“And you never will be. You’re not good enough.” Cold fingers closed around his throat and squeezed, before the hand suddenly jerked away. 

Tad peeked an eye open, trembling on the ground. He watched as Torm struggled, as though an invisible force was keeping his hand away. Very softly, in the dim lighting, Tom’s voice came through. _”He isn’t worth it.”_ A look of fury overcame Torm’s face, but he dropped his hand. “You need to leave. Leave, and don’t ever come back.” 

Tad nodded quickly, gut aching and stomach churning as he scrambled to his feet. He closed a hand around the door knob and paused, shaking. “Torm...how did you know about Tord?”

”We aren’t stupid. We- I saw him on the news. Some of the wanted posters are still up.” It was a warning Tad didn’t need to be given twice.

”And...the others...are they...?” 

“Dead?” Torm finished. “Not...not all of them. Tomatoredd took Scribble, they should be fine wherever they are. Not-Funny Tom is dead. He didn’t make it out. Red fought, and we ran.” Tom’s voice was weary and frustrated, but still came through clearly, and so...vulnerable. Hopeless. Tad could tell without looking that he was hugging himself, probably staring at nothing as he relived the night the Director came for them. “He wanted to stay and help, but...I couldn’t. I couldn’t face them again. They created us, and then left us to die, I...I couldn’t do it. We’re saving up. We plan to leave soon, to who-knows-where. Far away, most likely. You need to be careful. It’s too late to leave them now, you’d just upset them more. Be the good little friend they need, and get out when you can without hurting anyone. But until then, try to lay low, and take his advice. Just because they look like our friends, doesn’t mean they wouldn’t kill you the second you step out of line.” 

“I know.” Tad whispered. And he left. 

\-------------------- 

Before Tad had gotten more than a dozen steps away from the supply closet, he found himself being grabbed again. This time it was Matt, who pulled him a few steps over to a photobooth. “Let’s get our picture taken together!” Was all he said, before pushing him into the booth. 

After a brief struggle to insert the bills, Matt tugged Tad close and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, flashing a bright smile as the countdown neared one. 

Tad quickly tried to mirror the look, but the image that was captured was more...surprised? Uncomfortable, obviously, and he was looking a little to the left of the camera, with wide eyes and an almost-smile that showed off more teeth than was probably necessary. 

The next one was a little more natural, when Matt stuck his tongue out in the picture and made him laugh, eyes crinkling slightly in the corners. 

The third picture was almost candid, as if Tad had forgotten the camera was there as he turned to watch an equally distracted Matt apply a generous layer of gooey pink lipgloss, practically dripping in the photo. 

The last one portrayed a shocked Tad, eyes wide and looking right at the camera, as Matt pressed his sticky, sparkling lips to Tad’s slim cheek. 

Matt let Tad pick the theme, a red trim with little white flowers in the corners, and the machine printed two copies. “Here! You keep this one somewhere nice, so you can look at my face all the time! I’m going to tape mine to my mirror at home.” Matt said, pushing a copy into Tad’s hand. 

“U-uh, thanks, Matt.” Tad slipped the photos into the pocket of Tom’s hoodie, taking care not to bend or fold it. His face was all red, and once his hands were free he set to work trying to clean the glossy makeup off his cheek. 

“Of course! Now I have a photo strip of all my friends, and they all have one with me!” Matt looped their arms together, ignoring Tad’s protest that he wanted to clean up. “You can shower later, don’t be such a whiner. We have places to go!” 

“Like where?” Tad asked, and shook his free arm until his sleeve fell down. Sending Tom a mental apology, he licked the sleeve and scrubbed his cheek clean of the offensive goop. The end of the sleeve fell down over his hand and he decided to leave it be, letting his hand drop back to his side. 

“You have to be my wingman, so I can get a date with the girl from the sunglasses kiosk!” 

Tad gave a resigned sigh, but he smiled as Matt pulled him down the hallway. 


End file.
